To provide a safe and structured learning environment for children between the ages 0f six (6) & fourteen (14) to learn the game of Football and the sport of Cheerleading, through team building, sportsmanship & leadership without prejudice to race, color, creed, religion, gender or handicap (so long as the participant is physically & mentally fit to participate as determined by a medical professional)

ARTICLE THREE: Members/Officers of the Board of Directors (principal offices)

Section 1 The Goshen Youth Football & Cheerleading League (hereby referred to as “GYFCL”) will be considered a non member or self perpetuating board whereby the existing board members will nominate & elect subsequent directors. Nominations & elections will be carried out on an annual basis at the November meeting or as needed during the course of the year to fill vacated positions.

Section 2 The members of the Board of Directors (hereafter referred to as the “board”) will consist of the following positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of Cheerleading, Director of Coaching, Equipment Manager, Concession Manager, Fundraising Coordinator, Assist. Concession Manager & Assist. Cheer Director.

Section 3 The same person may not hold two or more principal offices on a full time basis.

Section 4 The eleven (11) board positions indicated will be considered the voting body of the board in all affairs pertaining to business, purchases & acquisitions, by-laws, disciplinary procedures and all affairs pertaining to the GYFCL.

Section 5 The removal of an officer from their board position may only be facilitated by a board member. This can occur for any reason & must have a two-thirds majority vote to be valid.

Section 6 All board members will serve a 2 year term, with annual elections to take place in November. More then one 2 year term is permissible, providing subsequent terms are re-voted after the completion of each two year term. All elections of board positions will be conducted by paper ballot. If a board member cannot attend any meeting where an election vote will take place, they may submit an absentee ballot, prior to said meeting to the GYFCL secretary in a sealed envelope with their signature across the seal.

Section 7 The board reserves the right to fill unexpired positions as needed, & in a expeditious manner as possible. The vacancy will be filled by a simple majority vote of the remaining members of the board for the balance of the calendar year remaining. Any board member who is voted in to position in this manner will hold that office till end of said calendar year & then is eligible to be elected in for a full 2 year term. The specific intent of this section is to help promote healthy growth and staggered turn over of the board of directors.

Section 8 The board will at all time maintain a minimum of nine (9) and a maximum of eleven (11) members. The board shall always consist of an odd number of members.

ARTICLE FOUR: Duties of Officers

Section 1President- the President shall be the principal director of the board & shall supervise & control the general affairs of the GYFCL. The President will preside at all official meetings of the board.

Section 2Vice President- In the absence of the President, the vice President shall perform all of the duties of the President. The Vice President will also be responsible for the Annual Awards Banquet.

Section 3 Secretary- the Secretary shall keep minutes of the board meetings & see that all notices & correspondence are presented in accordance, with the by-laws. The Secretary will also keep a current list of Board members & in general perform all duties related to the office of the Secretary.

Section 4 Treasurer- the Treasurer shall have custody & be responsible for the collection & disbursements of all funds of the group. The Treasurer will prepare & present a financial report at each Board meeting. The Treasurer will also maintain the monthly ledger balance & statements in a neat & orderly fashion so as to facilitate the ease of audits. The Treasurer is to also insure that no funds are disbursed with out proper authorization. Refer to Article 7 for additional requirements.

Section 5 Director of Cheerleading- The duties of the director shall include, but not be limited to all matters pertaining to cheerleading and its associated rules, performances, practices etc. asset forth by the Orange County Youth Football League (hereafter referred to as “OCYFL”) and this governing body. The Director of Cheerleading will be responsible for inventory, upkeep, distribution, collection & ordering of uniforms. The Director will also be responsible for cheerleading assignments, selections of coaches, assistants and other cheer helpers for each squad. The Director will also oversee the conduct & technique of these said coaches & will be responsible for initiating disciplinary action when required as outlined in Article 9 of the by-laws.

Section 6 Assistant Director of Cheerleading- The duties of the Assistant Cheer Director shall be the same as those outlined in the above listed Section 5. The Assistant will also be responsible for coordination of Picture day, Yearbook

Section 7 Director of Fundraising- The duties of the Fundraising Director shall include but not be limited to all duties pertaining to fundraising for the GYFCL. This shall include raffles, sponsorships, private donations & any & all other means of beneficial revenue, that will help support the financial well being of the GYFCL.

Section 8 Director of Coaching- The duties of the Director of Coaching shall include, but not be limited to all duties pertaining to coaching & the associated discipline of coaching. These duties will also include the dissemination of information regarding playbook standardization, coaching clinics & coaching staff positions in all divisions. The director will also be responsible for the distribution & collection of necessary paperwork required by the OCYFL regarding background checks etc for coaches. The Director will also oversee the conduct & technique of these said coaches & will be responsible for initiating disciplinary action when required as outlined in Article 9 of the by-laws.

Section 9 Equipment Manager- The duties of the equipment manager shall include, but not be limited to all duties pertaining to equipment inventory, distribution, collection, repair, replacement, maintenance, acquisitions, certifications, & reconditioning. The manager will insure there are appropriate levels of equipment necessary for the amount of participants enrolled in the GYFCL.

Section 10 Concession Manager- The duties of the Concession Manager will include but not be limited to all duties pertaining to the operation & supply of the concession stand and all GYFCL merchandise. This will include maintaining proper inventory levels, necessary for the operation of the stand, the selection of items to be sold for the betterment of the GYFCL, staffing, set up, breakdown, and a weekly report of finances during the period of operation.

Section 11 Assistant Concession Manager- The duties of the Assistant Concession Manager shall be to assist the Concession Manager with the duties outlined in the above listed Section 10, Concession Manager.

ARTICLE 5- MEETINGS

Section 1 The board will meet once per month during each calendar year for the express purpose of conducting all business pertinent to the general well being of the GYFCL, to include but not be limited to all acquisitions & expenditures, etc.

Section 2 All regular meetings will be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order & consist of an agenda to include; Roll call, determination of a quorum (if necessary), reading of the minutes, bills & communications, report of officers, report of committees, old business, new business, announcements & good of the order, adjournment. Any person wishing to address/speak at a board meeting (other than board members or person(s) invited to speak) must notify the GYFCL secretary three (3) calendar days in advance with their agenda. Said person(s) subject matter will be limited to the agenda provided to the GYFCL secretary, and length of time for discussion will be determined by the President. The President (at his/her discretion) may waive the three (3) calendar day notification if the situation dictates immediate attention.

Section 3 All official meetings must consist of a quorum for the purpose of conducting business as outlined in 5.1. A quorum will consist of a simple majority of the board (to include trustees). If no simple majority exists, the meeting may be adjourned to a later date at the discretion of the President or director in charge as designated by the President.

Section 4 Exception to quorum rule (5.3) If it is determined that the meeting must be postponed, an exception to 5.3 will be allowed for the sole purpose of paying current bills only. A quorum to pay bills will consist of at least one third of the directors as outlined in 3.2. No other business is to be conducted under this exception/rule. This may be referred to as the 1/3 quorum rule.

Section 5 Scheduling of the monthly meetings will be done at the January meeting of each calendar year. Meeting times, date and location may be changed at the discretion of the seated board as conditions warrant.

Section 6 Informal or work session meetings outside of the monthly meeting will be permitted at the discretion of the President, however no monthly business will be conducted at this time. Informal and work session meetings are to be conducted for the express purpose of committee work, event planning and to facilitate the flow of the monthly meetings.

Section 7 The President, at his discretion or the board, by a simple majority request may conduct an emergency meeting to conduct business if conditions dictate. The same quorum conditions will apply as in 5.3.

Section 8 The board reserves the right to go into executive session at any time to discuss matters pertaining to legal, personnel, and confidential charitable contributions such as scholarships as outlined in 11.5.

Section 9 If a Board member anticipates being absent from a Board meeting, the individual will contact the President of the Board as to the reason. If a Board member is absent three times within a 12-month period, the Board member will be deemed to have resigned and the position declared vacant. The remaining board members reserve the right to reinstate the board member (who violated section 9) by a majority vote. If the board member is not reinstated the remaining board members will follow the procedure spelled out in ARTICLE THREE SECTION 7.

ARTICLE 6- COMMITEES

Section 1 The President will be permitted to form committees as needed to perform various tasks, such as event planning, additional fundraising, long range planning etc. so long as it benefits the objectives outlined in Article 2.

Section 2 The President may appoint persons of his choosing to any committee provided that they are the parent or guardian of a program participant. The President will preside over all committees and be responsible for the actions of all committee members.

ARTICLE 7- MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1 The fiscal year will run from January 1 until December 31 of the same year.

Section 2 All newly elected board members will take office on January 1.

Section 3 All matters relating to “Rules and Regulations of Participation” by Coaches, Players and Cheerleaders and the direct affiliation with the OCYFL as the lead sanctioning body will be dictated by those rules that have been officially accepted by the OCYFL.

Section 3a Goshen Youth Football and Cheerleading may, at any time, make an addendum to OCYFL rules for the benefit of the organization, so long as it does not supersede, modify or otherwise alter the intent of the OCYFL Rules.

Section 4 Additions, amendments, deletions and changes to these by-laws may be done at any monthly meeting by the group with a two thirds vote, providing that the aforementioned has been submitted in writing ten (10) days prior to said meeting. The proposal may be electronically submitted via e-mail, but not allowed via text messaging. All board members must be included on CC address line of e-mail for proposal to be considered at said meeting.

Section 5 Replacement, resignation, or election of a new President, Treasurer or both will create the necessity of an internal audit that will upon acceptance by all individuals concerned, facilitate the smooth and responsible transition of duties.

Section 5a An internal audit will consist of at least 3 board members who do not share in the duties of President or Treasurer.

Section 5b A simple internal audit should be conducted every year to close out the fiscal year and to give all board members an accurate financial outlook for the organization.

Section 5c If an audit reveals any inconsistencies that cannot be reconciled, the Treasurer may be asked to surrender the books/accounting file depending on the severity of the discrepancies. Ample time as determined by the by the audit committee will be given to provide additional documentation or explanation. If no documentation is available or can be provided, the books will be turned over to leagues accounting firm for further audit. Inconsistencies/discrepancies greater than $50.00 maybe considered grounds for surrender.

ARTICLE 8- COACHING- FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING

Section 1 All coaches agree to abide by the rules set for in the “Coaches Code of Conduct” as published by the OCYFL.

Section 2 All head coaches and assistant coaches must be board approved.

ARTICLE 9- DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE FOR PLAYERS AND PARENTS

Section 1 Player discipline for minor infractions such as missed practice, swearing etc. will be left to the discretion of the head coach or designee. If it should become necessary to take action for more severe infractions that result in lost playing time, suspension or cut from the team, the head coach is to notify the Director of Coaching or Cheer as soon as possible so that the necessary and proper chain of command can be notified. If the action taken is grieved in any way, the board members are to be notified in the following order; Director of Coaching/Cheer, President, Board Members. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached within this group, the problems will be deferred to the OCYFL for further review and resolution as per their published guidelines. The ruling of the OCYFL Board of Directors will be final.

Section 2 Discipline for parents-coaches and board members should familiarize themselves with the “Parents Code of Conduct” and use it to their advantage to resolve grievances or disputes. Any additional action taken will follow the same chain of command guidelines set forth in 9.1

Section 3 The board reserves the right to meet in executive session to discuss personnel issues related to the discipline of registered members and parents.

ARTICLE 10 – CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Section 1 As of January 1, 2014 on any issue concerning a family member of a board member that requires a vote, said board member will be recused from that vote. Family members will include the following; Spouses, Children, Siblings, In-laws and Nieces & or Nephews. If due to said board members recusal from vote, a tie results, the President of the GYFCL will make the final determination of said issue. If the person(s) involved are a family member of the President of the GYFCL, then the Vice-President will make the final determination of said issue.

ARTICLE 11 – FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Section 1 It will be the responsibility of all members who collect, handle, retain and/or disburse and funds for merchandising, fundraising, registration, concession etc. provide a written, accurate and detailed report of activity to the board for the duration of that activity.

Section 2 It will be the responsibility of the board to ensure responsible investment and handling of funds during times of inactivity. This will include, but not be limited to transfer of funds to money marked accounts and certificates of deposit. All transactions of this nature will require a majority vote.

Section 3 It will be the responsibility of the President and Treasurer to ensure that accurate and up to date reports are delivered to the selected accounting firm for filing as required by the appropriate government agency as outlined in the not for profit requirements. Failure to do so will constitute dereliction of duty and warrant an emergency meeting and possible removal from office as outlined in 3.5

Section 4 The board reserves the right to scholarship program applicants at any time. No application process is required, however a board member or the head coach of the person/family in question should be present to help vouch for or explain the need. The board reserves the right to keep the names of the families who have been awarded scholarships based on financial need confidential. The line item need only be entered as “scholarship, amount and calendar year” in the records.

Section 5 At no time whatsoever will the board be compelled to purchase food, snack or refreshments for the sole use of the board at meetings, work sessions, registration, or at any other event that does not promote the general well being of the registered participants. Expenditures of this nature for events such as a pep rally or training camp is acceptable, but first must be approved by the board.

Section 6 All expenditures relating to equipment, capital improvements, transportation to and from games, referees etc. that are not sustained through a self supporting means will be voted on by the board prior to the expenditure. Self supporting expenditures is defined as merchandise reorders, concession reorders, golf outing, raffles, etc.

ARTICLE 12 – CODE OF CONDUCT- BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1 As a not for profit youth organization, the board of directors of the Goshen Youth Football and Cheerleading organization are held to the highest standards of conduct and sportsmanship and will therefore abide by the aforementioned and following rules.

Section 1a The board member will follow all of the rules set for by the OCYFL, the Parent Code of Conduct, and the Coaches Code of Conduct.

Section 1b The board agrees to be responsible for resolving all disputes, concerns and charges brought before them against players, coaches, board members and parents.

Section 2 Intrinsic to the conduct of the board, the board must be guided by the principles of sound judgment, good moral conduct in the presence of all children, honesty, fairness, integrity and always be mindful of the greater good of the organization

Section 3 All board members are legally and morally bound to run the organization within the guidelines set by forth by local, state and federal authorities (including the IRS and Dept. of Taxation & Finance) and any regulations set forth by the school districts and sports organizations whose facilities we are privileged to use. Compliance will include open disclosure of all finances, open access to the minutes of all meeting and all business proceeding pertinent to the management of the organization.